Objective To probe into the relationship between emotion regulation and mental health status of college students.Method 191 college students were surveyed with Emotion Regulation Scale and College Student Mental Health Scale.Results Scores of cognitive reappraisal were higher than those of expression suppression（p<0.01）;total scores of mental health were slightly over 3;the cognitive reappraisal was positively correlated with 5 mental health dimensions such as happy experience

interpersonal harmony

emotion regulation

goal pursuit

courage to challenge（p<0.05 or p<0.01）;the expression suppression and the emotion regulation were positively correlated with each other（p<0.01）;Prediction of the cognitive reappraisal to mental health was 0.220（p<0.01）.Conclusion The cognitive reappraisal strategy is used more frequently than the expression suppression strategy when college students regulate their emotions;the mental health status with a healthy personality orientation is in a medium level;both cognitive reappraisal and expression suppression can be effective for regulating emotions

but the cognitive reappraisal has closer links with the mental health with a healthy personality orientation;the cognitive reappraisal is a predictor of mental health.